Health communication

Health communication is the study and application of communicating promotional health information, such as in public health campaigns, health education, and between doctors and patients. The purpose of disseminating health information is to influence personal health choices by improving health literacy. Health communication is a unique niche in healthcare that enables professionals to use effective communication strategies to inform and influence decisions and actions of the public to improve health. Effective health communication is essential in fostering connections between patients and providers. The connections can be built through strategies such as shared decision-making, motivational interviewing, and narrative medicine.

Because effective health communication must be tailored to the audience and the situation research into health communication seeks to refine communication strategies to inform people about ways to enhance health or avoid specific health risks. Academically, health communication is a discipline within the field of communication studies. The field of health communication has been growing and evolving in recent years. The field plays a crucial role in advancing health in collaboration with patients and medical professionals. Research shows health communication helps with behavioral change in humans and conveys specific policies and practices that can serve as alternatives to certain unhealthy behaviors. The health communication field is considered a multidisciplinary field of research theory that encourages actions, practices, and evidence that contribute to improving the healthcare field. The use of various skills and techniques to enhance change among patients and many others, and focus on behavioral and social changes to improve the public health outcome.

Health communication may variously seek to:

  • increase audience knowledge and awareness of a health issue
  • influence behaviors and attitudes toward a health issue
  • demonstrate healthy practices
  • demonstrate the benefits of behavior changes to public health outcomes
  • advocate a position on a health issue or policy
  • increase demand or support for health services
  • argue against misconceptions about health
  • improve patient-provider dialogue
  • enhance effectiveness in health care teams
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